Fokker F27
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Image:PIA-F27-Lahore-30861.JPG The Fokker F27 Friendship is a turboprop airliner designed and built by the Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker. With 786 units built (including 206 in the USA by Fairchild), it is the most successful turboprop airliner of all time.
Design of the aircraft started in the 1950s as a DC-3 replacement. The manufacturer evaluated a number of different configurations before finally deciding on a high wing twin Rolls-Royce Dart engined layout with a pressurised cabin for 28 passengers. The first prototype, PH-NIV, first flew on 24 November 1955. The second prototype and initial production machines were 3 ft (0.9 m) longer, addressing the first aircraft's slightly tail-heavy handling and also providing space for more passengers. These aircraft also used the more powerful Dart Mk 528 engine.
In 1956 Fokker signed a licensing deal with the US aircraft manufacturer Fairchild for the latter to construct the aircraft in the USA. The first U.S.-built aircraft flew on 12 April 1958.
The first production model of the F27, the F27-100, seated 44 passengers, with initial deliveries to Aer Lingus in September 1958. The next model, the -200, used the Dart Mk 532 engine.
The most ubiquitous model, the -500, had a 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) longer fuselage, a return to the Dart Mk 528 engine, and accommodation for 52 passengers. It first flew in November 1967.
In 1985 two F27-400Ms were leased by the US Army parachute team, the Golden Knights. Subsequently two aircraft were purchased and designated C-31A Troopship. The aircraft were used both to transport the team to airshows and as their jumping platform. They replaced the C-7 Caribou and C-8 Buffalo aircraft that the team had previously used.
Image:Fokker F-27 300M.jpg Other versions include:
- F27-100 - the first production model.
- F27-200 -
- F27-300 Combiplane - Civil passenger/cargo aircraft.
- F27-300M Troopship - Military transport version for Royal Netherlands Air Force.
- F27-400 - "Combi" passenger/cargo aircraft, with two Rolls-Royce Dart 7 turboprop engines and large cargo door.
- F27-400M - Military version.
- F27-500 - Cargo/passenger version, with a large cargo door and lengthened fuselage.
- F27-500M - Military version.
- F27-500F - A version of the -500 for Australia with smaller front and rear doors.
- F27-600 - Cargo version of -200.
- F27-700 - A F27-100 with a large cargo door.
- F27 Maritime - Unarmed maritime reconnaissance version.
- F27 Maritime Enforcer - Armed maritime reconnaissance version.
- FH227 - Fairchild-Hiller stretched version.
In the early 1980s, Fokker developed a successor to the Friendship, the Fokker F50, with upgraded engines and systems.
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Specifications
Image:Rolls-Royce Dart Fokker F 27.jpg Image:Fokker F27 APU Inlet.jpg
- Length: 77 ft 2 in (23.5 m)
- Span: 95 ft 2 in (29.0 m)
- Wing area: 753 ft² (70.0 m²)
- Max takeoff weight: 42,000 lb (19,050 kg)
- Max Cruising speed: 300 mph (483 km/h)
- Range: 912 miles (1,468 km)
- Service ceiling: 32,600 ft (9900 m)
- Engines: 2x Rolls-Royce Dart Mk528 turboprops
For F27-400M (US Military Designation C-31A Troopship):
- Wingspan: 95 ft (29.0 m)
- Wing area: 753 ft² (70.0 m²)
- Length: 77 ft (23.5 m)
- Height: 28 ft (8.5 m)
- Max takeoff wt: 45,000 lb (20,400 kg)
- Engines: 2 x Rolls-Royce Dart 7 Turboprops
- Speed: 300 mph (480 km/h)
- Range: 1,500 mi (2,400 km)
- Ceiling: 25,000 ft (7,600 m)
- Max payload: 12,000 lb (5,440 kg)
- Crew: 3
- Capacity: 50 paratroopers or 56 infantry troops, or 24 litters
F-27 operators past and present
The F-27 is one of the most widely used airliners in the world, though the Douglas DC-3 holds the record. Many aircraft have passed from passenger service into cargo or express-package freighter roles. Pakistan International Airlines has been operating Fokker F-27 aircraft in the difficult terrain of Northern Areas of Pakistan. It currently has seven F-27 aircraft in its fleet which will be retired by the end of 2006.
- The following list may be incomplete, and some of these airlines may still be using the F-27
Airliners
- Aerocaribe (Mexico)
- Air Algérie
- Aer Lingus
- Air Congo
- Air Executive Norway
- Air France
- Air Inter, France
- Air Ivoire
- Air New South Wales
- Air New Zealand
- Air Panama
- Air Sinai
- Air Tanzania
- Air UK
- Air Zaire
- Air West Express
- Aeronica
- All Nippon Airways
- ALM The Antilles
- Ansett Airlines
- Associated Airlines of Australi
- ATI Aero Transport Italiani
- Balair. Swiitzerland
- Bali International Air Service
- Bangladesh Biman
- Braathens SAFE
- British Midland
- Union of Burma Airways
- Busy Bee, (Norway)
- BMA
- CATA Línea Aérea (Argentina)
- Channel Express (UK)
- Cubana de Aviación
- Delta Air Lines
- DETA - Mozambique Airlines,
- East African Airways
- East-West Airlines (Australia)
- Elbee Airlines. India
- Euroceltic Airways
- Expresso Aéreo
- Farnair Hungary
- FedEx
- FTG Air Service, Germany
- Garuda Indonesia
- Iberia Airlines, Spain
- Icelandair
- Indian Airlines
- Iran Asseman
- Libyan Arab Airlines
- Korean Airlines
- Kenya Airways
- Lloyd Aero Bolivano
- LADE, Haiti
- Laoag
- Libyan Arab Airlines
- Lloyd Aereo Boliviano (Bolivia)
- Luxair
- Maersk Air, Denmark
- Malaysia-Singapore Airlines
- Missisippe Valley Airlines USA
- Nigeria Airways
- NZNAC
- Northeast Airlines
- Mactan
- Merpati Nusantara Airlines (Indonesia)
- MSA - Malaysia-Singapore Airlines
- Myanma Airways
- NEPC Airlines (India)
- NLM Cityhopper
- Norcanair
- Norwegian Air Shuttle
- Pakistan International Airlines
- Pelita Air Service
- Philippine Airlines
- Pilgrim Airlines, USA
- Scibe Airlift Cargo Zaire
- Sempati Air Transport Indonesia
- Sky Team Germany
- Somali Airlines
- Starair, Finland
- Sudan Airways
- TAA - Trans Australia Airlines
- TAM Linhas Aéreas
- T.A. de la Guinee-Bissau
- TAVAJ - Linhas Aéras Brazil
- THY (Turkish Airlines)
- Trans Australia Airlines, now a part of QANTAS
- Uganda Airways
- Union of Burma Airways
- Aerolineas SOSA (Honduras)
- TAAG Air Angola
- WDL Aviation (Germany)
Military Operators Past and Present
- Algerian Airforce
- Angola
- Argentine Air Force
- Australian Navy
- Biafran Air Force
- Bolivian Air Force
- Burma/Myanmar
- Finnish Air Force
- Ghana Air Force
- Guatemalan Air Force
- India (Coast Guard)
- Indonesian Air Force
- Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
- Iceland (Coast Guard)
- Italy
- Ivory Coast
- Mexico
- Royal Netherlands Air Force
- Royal New Zealand Air Force
- Nigerian Air Force
- Pakistan Air Force
- Pakistan Navy
- Peruvian Navy
- Philippine Air Force
- Philippine Navy
- Senegambia Air Force
- Spanish Air Force
- Sudan
- Thai Navy
- United States Army Parachute Team, the Golden Knights (C-31A Troopship)
- Uruguay
Government Agencies
- Department of Civil Aviation, Australia
- The Dutch Royal Flight
- Icelandic Coast Guard
- Iranian Government
- France Institute Geographique
- Securité Civil, France
Organisations and Corporations
- F27 Friendship Assosiation. The Nethelands
- Libyan Red Crescent
- National Iranian Oil Company - (NIOC)
External links
- Fokker
- F27 Friendship Association - F27 enthusiast organisation, with Photo Gallery (in Dutch and English)
- External museum photo
- Photo of model
- Fokker, a living history
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